Key facts
- Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson has called for an investigation into a $50,000 political donation.
- The donation was reportedly linked to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
- The funds were channeled through a think tank called Labour for the Long Term.
- Defense Secretary Wes Streeting accepted the donation but stated he had no contact with Bankman-Fried.
- Reform leader Nigel Farage is also involved in a crypto-related donation scandal.
Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson has requested an investigation into a reported $50,000 political donation made to Defense Secretary Wes Streeting, which is alleged to be linked to former FTX CEO Sam "SBF" Bankman-Fried. The donation was reportedly channeled through the think tank Labour for the Long Term, whose founder allegedly accepted a substantial gift from Bankman-Fried before disbursing funds to Streeting.
Streeting reportedly asked for a list of donors from Labour for the Long Term before accepting the funds, but Bankman-Fried's name was not disclosed. Streeting stated he had no direct contact with the former FTX CEO. The founder of the think tank, David Lawrence, has claimed that the contribution to Streeting was funded by a different donor and that Labour for the Long Term did not receive funds from Bankman-Fried or the FTX Foundation.
This development occurs as Reform leader Nigel Farage prepares to face voters in a by-election, amidst his own controversy involving significant donations from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and financial assistance from George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster. Farage has characterized these contributions as "gifts."
Under UK law, unincorporated associations can donate more than $675 to politicians, creating a potential loophole for foreign or "dark money" to influence lawmakers without transparent disclosure of the original source.
Earlier this week, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit formally upheld Sam Bankman-Fried's conviction and 25-year prison sentence, limiting his options for early release.